Letter from John Ferguson, Philadelphia to Friends
[page 1] Philadelphia 28th May 1871 Dear Friends I would rote [wrote?] to you sooner but I was wating [waiting?] to get a letter from Samuel and Magy I got one from them last week and we received your letter and [---------?] the week before we ware [were?] glad to here [hear?] of yous [you?] all being well as regards our helth [health?] we are all well at present thanks god we have no reason to complain since we came here the Sunday after we came here Metildas aunt Mrs Melon came to see us She told me her soonin law [son-in law?] and his Brother contract buildings and I could work with them I went next day to see the work I agreed to work by the foot at 25 cents per foot, I could some days [page 2] dress 20 feet that was 5 dolars [dollars?] I supose [suppose?] he thought I could make too much he then put me on by the day at 3 dolars [dollars?] that is the highest pay in the City and last week he gave me the Charge of the Stonecutters and to keep the account of the mesurement [measurement] of what is dressed by the foot I am not sure [-------?] by the work but I have to be there in time in the morning to set the men to work we begin at 7 oclock and stop at 6 I have near 3 miles to gow [go?] to the work but I can gow [go?] by the Street Cars and come the same for 7 cents these cars run same as the train from 4 in the morning to 10 at night every 5 minutes the [there?] are two runs on every street and same as the [page 3] railrode [railroad?] and drawn by 2 horses The stone cutting is not the same here as at home This house is faced with [------?] chisel on the face with a tooth chisle [chisel?] but the Stone is verry [very?] hard I never dressed any stone at home so hard the hammer I brought was no use the hamers [hammers?] here are cast steel 3 dolars [dollars?] Price and 3 dolars [dollars?] for a mallit [mallet?] the tools are sold at 40 cents per pound that is 20 pence of your money this man is allwawys [always?] [lean?] of money and he owes me at present over 40 dolars [dollars?] if he dose [does?] not pay it to me this week I will quit the work the [they?] have no law here to recover money there are no sumensing [summonsing?] or [-----------?] all you can do is leave the weather is verry [very?] hot here this last week we cannot [page 4] ware [wear?] blankets on the bed and the [they?] tell me that it will be twice as hot yet one of our stonecutters stoped [stopped?] on Friday and some of the masons the sun as so hot we have a good shade and that keeps of [off?] the sun Thomas is still at the same work and Johney is Driving a horse and cart the work is easy at 5 dolars [dollars?] a week and his board David is in a paper Factory at 3 dollars [dollars?] for a week but I think I will put him into a store tomorrow Stores and Cloth shops are not beneficial for boys here Seragh is doing well She can get 2 dolars [dollars?] now in another place if the man she is with dose [does?] not give it she will leave Mr Morrow recommended Johney to where he is carting or I would not let Seragh stay so longClose